Girl playing with twigs in the forest in autumn.

Hiking trip in Germany with the kids

The Rennsteig in the Thuringian Forest

The Rennsteig in the Thuringian Forest is one of the oldest and best-known continuous high-altitude hiking trails in Germany and even has its own anthem. The Rennsteig song has been heard far beyond the borders of Thuringia since 1951. The trail is in total 168 km long.

In winter the Rennsteig is a real paradise for cross-country skiers in Germany, whether your are a beginner or an advanced skier, and the area around Oberhof in the Thuringian Forest is also ideal for a hiking trip with the kids.

Girl walking in the forest in autumn.

Hiking destinations around Oberhof and the Rennsteig

  • The Große Beerberg (with its 983 m is the highest mountain in Thuringia)
  • The Schneekopf at 978 m
  • The Große Finsterberg at 944 m

    The Rennsteig leads directly over the Grenzadler monument, in the immediate vicinity of the LOTTO Thuringia ARENA (famous for competitions in biathlon, cross-country skiing and the Nordic combined disciplines). Benear the Thuringia hut our little guests can really let off steam on the Rennsteig shoe, a play area for children. A hiking trip with children in Thuringia is not only an experience, it is also guaranteed to be fun!
Family cycling through the Thuringian Forest.

Rennsteig cycle path

The Rennsteig cycle path deviates a little from the historic Rennsteig in order to avoid too steep climbs on the route. As a result, the Rennsteig cycle trail is 30 km longer than the hiking trail.

Bike Rental

You are welcome to rent a suitable mountain bike from local providers (for a fee).

See mit Blick auf die Berge.Lake with a view of the mountains.
Girl holding out her hands filled with chestnuts.

Explore the varied countryside on a hiking trip with your children

If you continue along the Rennsteig in the direction of the roundabout, you will pass the Diezel-Geba-Stone. This is one of the 13 Dreiherrensteine (topographic name of a historical tripoint) that are still in the Rennsteig area. Together with the 1,300 boundary stones, these indicate that the Rennsteig, as a ridge trail, was over long stretches also a border path due to the political fragmentation of Thuringia.

Girl sitting on a wall in a forest in autumn in a yoga pose.

From here, it is worth making a detour to the Schützenberghochmoor nature trail. The Rennstein Garden is located by the roundabout, and is a most special kind of attraction with over 4,000 different plant species from different parts of the world, making it the largest and most species-rich alpine garden in Germany. Here you will be able to see plants that are normally only found in the alpine mountains.

Trails for hiking trips in Thuringia, Germany:

From Oberhof to the Lütschetalsperre (loop trail)

Start: near the Oberhof winter sports centre
On the way: Lütschetalsperre – valleys on the Lärchenkopf with two wellsprings of the Lütsche – view of Löffelbühlfelsen – Sieglitzkopf with a viewing point – Kleine Hohen Warte (652m) – Quarry – Schlossbergkanzel – forest nature trail

Length: 12 km
walking time: 3,5 hours

Tour to the burned stone

On the way: Oberhof – fork at the “Waldkindergarten” – Löffelbühlfelsen – Sieglitzteich – Hoher Stein – Flößgraben – Burned out stone – Oberhof

Length: 8,7 km
walking time: 2,5 hours